CBRE Global Investors is launching its new “Above & Beyond for Business” (A&B) tenant experience program at office buildings across the United States. The program is now live at 150 N. Michigan Avenue in Chicago, as well as in other major U.S. markets including Atlanta, Dallas, Southern California (Anaheim, Irvine and Pasadena), Portland, Oakland and Washington, D.C., with other markets slated to roll out in the coming months.
The A&B program is an evolution of CBRE Global Investors’ 5-Star Worldwide tenant amenity and services program, which was the first of its kind when launched in 2005. The enhanced offering, which will only be available in CBRE Global Investors-owned office buildings, includes premium hospitality services and customized technology to create convenience and drive productivity for tenants. It features inventive and versatile common spaces and programming designed to bring people together to enhance tenant engagement and connections.
“Tenant expectations have evolved significantly over the past 15 years,” said Robert Perry, head of the CBRE Global Investors’ Strategic Partners U.S. fund series. “A&B anticipates and addresses their evolving needs through next-generation property management, relationship-building and place-making practices that enhance satisfaction and retention.”
The A&B program is tailored for each building. Each property with the A&B program has a dedicated on-site concierge solely focused on enhancing the tenant experience. These professionals—who are trained rigorously in hospitality practices—cultivate tenant communities and connections with extensive resources provided by CBRE Global Investors and support from the national network of other A&B concierge professionals.
The A&B program also reimagines office building common spaces to promote a sense of community among tenants. High-traffic “pass through” indoor and outdoor areas are transformed into versatile tenant congregation, event and connection spaces. A&B amenity centers are highly flexible to accommodate large and small groups for not only meetings but also activities such as exercise classes, video game competitions and community events, with most offering catering kitchens, access to A/V support and complimentary beverages and snacks. These amenity centers are available to tenants of any A&B property as needed on a reciprocal basis across the national network. And with Wi-Fi-enabled plazas, water features and fire pits as well as outdoor programming, formerly unused exterior areas are becoming a direct extension of the A&B amenity centers.
New technologies will facilitate operations at all the properties where A&B is being implemented. In particular, several of these buildings will be powered by CBRE Host—a mobile application that gives tenants direct access to the building’s amenities and services; updates them on programming, classes and events, including targeted messages and learns tenant preferences over time to customize their experience with the most relevant information.
“A&B’s many components all work together to provide our tenants with an exceptional workplace experience that is centered around hospitality, convenience and sparking connections,” said Mark Zikakis, CBRE Global Investors head of commercial asset management–Americas.